


Philosophers in University

by NightDoktor



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Aris is a dork, Aris knows Aikido, Coming Out, M/M, Martial Arts, Newt realises he's gay af, Teresa Ships It, aikido, everyone ships it, shy!Aris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 06:46:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13584552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightDoktor/pseuds/NightDoktor
Summary: Aris is a shy bookworm with a strange affinity for Aikido, Newt is a stubborn new guy moving in from a few towns over. Thomas is just trying to hold it all together, and Teresa is making Newt's life difficult by playing matchmaker.[DISCONTINUED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE]





	Philosophers in University

Newt kicked a can as he walked down the main street in Gladesville, grumbling to himself about yet another move, too busy to notice how the can arced up in the air, and landed at the feet of a group of boys who were leaning in a laneway, smoking.

“Oi shorty, you got a problem?” One grumbled, standing upright, and sauntering down the laneway, smiling when Newt realised he was boxed in.  
“No, just wondering how I’d get past a group of dropkicks that have nothing better to do than waste my time.”

The leader growled, and went to throw a punch only to stop and peer behind Newt.  
“Oh, what’s this? Your boyfriend come to help you?” He sneered, jabbing Newt in the chest roughly.

“Boyfriend? Oh please. As if.” He scoffed, backing up a few feet to create distance, only to throw himself backwards, narrowly avoiding a punch thrown at him.  
A rush of air was all the warning Newt had before he was gently shoved aside, and a boy his height appeared, hands flat to his sides, all of a sudden before moving in a blur, which resulted in the much bigger boy pinned to the ground painfully. Glancing up, sharp green eyes took in the other two who looked on in fear.  
“Boo.” The boy whispered, rapping the pinned bully’s head into the ground, knocking him out cold. The others yelped and ran, leaving their friend behind.

Slowly, the other boy stood up, and looking down, retrieved his books that he’d deposited on the ground when he’d gone to help Newt.  
“Uhh, good that, what you did. Thanks. Um…” Newt fumbled, not knowing the boy’s name.

“Uh, A- Aris. I take it you’re new around here?” The newly named Aris seemed to be tripping over his own words, and had a hard time keeping eye contact and seemed to be withdrawing into himself.

Newt couldn’t find words for what he thought of Aris. Definitely cute. And scary? Definitely.

“Yeah, moved from a few towns over. My name’s Newt. You going to Glade University?” Newt leant back against the wall, arms crossed. He was so not curious about this boy. Not at all. Maybe a little.

“Yeah, I am. See you later!” Aris yelped, before taking off around the corner, leaving a confused Newt in his wake.  
Shrugging, he hastily left the laneway once he heard a groan coming from the larger bully, and booking it home, a ten minute walk later.

“Oh Isaac, you’re home!” a feminine voice called from the kitchen, and Newt grimaced at the name. “No shit.” He muttered, making his way into the kitchen and dumping himself in a stool at the bench.  
“Mum, how do I know if I’m into other dudes?”

His mother turned around, eyeing her son for a moment. “Well, I won’t say I didn’t suspect it.  Generally, there’s attachment to them. You check them out, and you’ll find things about them that you like. I mean, a lot. Think of the sex-ed classes at school, but between two guys. Something similar.” She replied, turning back to the stovetop, and started plating up the vegetables, followed by mashed potato and a generous helping of chicken schnitzel for the both of them.

“Your sister won’t be home tonight, she’s off at a sleepover with some friends that she’s made already. Doesn’t surprise me, Sonya has always been a social butterfly.” Genevieve remarked, placing the plates at the dinner table. Not mentioning it to her son, but Genevieve couldn’t help but sigh softly as she thought how much easier it’d be with her husband around still. _No use thinking of that now._

They ate in relative silence, until Newt piped up. “So earlier today Mum, I was about to be beat by a group of thugs near the library today. I mouthed off because they were irkin’ me, but then this guy comes out from behind me, next thing I know, he’s bloody on the floor and they’re runnin’!” He exclaimed, fork waving in the air and words barely making it out around the food in his mouth.

Genevieve giggled, she loved seeing her son so animated about anything in the world. “And this is the boy that’s captured my son’s heart?” She asked, a shit-eating grin on her face.  
Newt went blood red, and muttered something before clearing his plate and loading it into the dishwasher with all the cooking utensils.  
“What was that Isaac? I couldn’t quite hear you.” She called, tone light and teasing.  
“Bite me!” Was the barked reply as the blond scurried up the stairs and went straight for a shower.

“Aris, huh?” Newt thought, letting the hot water clear any of his doubts about himself.

-

The weekend was almost over, and Newt had spent the couple of days wandering around the town, suspiciously not seeing the group from the laneway incident, not even once. Not that he was looking for them, nor was he looking for a cute bookworm that had defended him the other day. Not at all, and he was not going to admit it.

It was on the Sunday afternoon that Newt collapsed into a chair in a small café on the other side of town to where he lived. He’d stumbled upon it by accident, but the barista was very good at her work, and if Newt wasn’t almost certain he was gay by this point, he’d say she was beautiful.  
_Well, I’m gay, not blind,_ he corrected himself.

He’d learned her name was Teresa, and would also be joining him in starting university the next day, and was woeful about losing all her shifts to study.  
“ _I really like being paid for doing full time, but on a casual wage! It’s so good!”_ %  
Newt grinned at that, and took a sip from his freshly made, double shot espresso, with two sugars. Teresa had remarked it was an unusual order, but Newt had said he prefers his coffee as bitter as he is.

As he was drinking, however, a relatively tall boy entered the café, and locked eyes with Newt, who spat his coffee into his cup, and turned rapidly to face Teresa, who watched his reaction with an expression, that to Newt’s horror, morphed from confusion to complete and utter understanding. She smiled wickedly at Newt, and called out to the newcomer.

“Hey Aris, welcome back! Seems like lil’ Newt here knows you!”

 _Is murder legal?_ Newt considered various options, but was pulled from his reverie when Aris pulled up a chair next to Newt.

“S- So, hey.” He smiled, and it took all of Newt not to exclaim how cute he was.

_Fuck._

“Hey there, my knight in shining armour!” Newt cawed, and suddenly became absolutely enthralled in his coffee, trying to drown in the murky depths, all to not notice the adorable blush that coloured Aris’ face pink.  
“It was nothing, really. Just couldn’t stop and leave you to fend for yourself. What were you doing in a laneway like that anyway?” Aris got braver the more he talked, and Newt had to flip off Teresa on the other side of the sugar caddy in retaliation to her making kissy faces.  
Newt shrugged. “I was exploring, seeing what was around, and they heard me talkin’ to a local to get some directions. Pricks didn’t think a posh Brit like me fit in around here. Buggin’ idiots.” He grumbled, then shrugged.  
“I don’t suppose you know why you took off, then?” Newt leaned in, eyes sparkling with amusement as Aris sputtered, and looked away.  
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was in a rush to get to class.” Aris denied, gratefully accepting the coffee from Teresa and glaring at her as she made more kissy faces.  
“On a Friday night.” Newt raised an eyebrow.  
“Of course.” Aris replied, seeming all too busy with his latte.  
Newt considered the boy in front of him, and his revelations over the past day or so. Plucking bravery from a place he didn’t know existed, he pulled out a pen, and left his number on a napkin. He slid it across to a very red-faced Aris.

“Well, I gotta repay my knight with shining textbooks somehow, right? Text me.” Newt winked, downing the rest of the coffee, and paying Teresa for the both of them on the way out.  
As soon as he rounded a corner, Newt felt his strength drain and he leant against the wall.

“And here I was, thinking girls were scary. Fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here goes! I haven't seen this ship done very much, so I figured I'd give it a go. I'm going based off the movies here, and both Newt and Aris are adorable beans who need to be protected at all costs.
> 
> This will be a side project, so I'll work on it irregularly compared to NWTT.


End file.
